Tsunade's mind raced as she contemplated the consequences of accepting Han Yu's proposal and the repercussions of declining it.
She knew little about the man and even less about the potential fallout if she rejected his offer.
Her rapid thoughts caused her chest to heave, a sight that even Han Yu couldn't help but pause to appreciate for a moment.
Gritting her teeth, Tsunade finally addressed Han Yu, "What do you need the Hundred Endurances Technique for?"
"That's none of your concern," Han Yu smiled and continued, "But if you're willing to pay the right price, I can also take charge of Konoha's post-disaster reconstruction."
Their conversation abruptly shifted to the topic of rebuilding the village, hinting at Han Yu's confidence in defeating Pain.
Tsunade stared intently at Han Yu, trying to decipher any hidden motives behind his smile.
Yet, after a prolonged gaze, Han Yu's expression remained unchanged, a faint smile playing on his lips. He met her gaze without flinching, and the two of them locked eyes in a strange stalemate.
Ultimately, Tsunade nodded. Unable to devise any other plan to confront Pain, she had to put her trust in Han Yu, hoping he could truly resolve the issue.
Upon receiving Tsunade's consent, Han Yu's smile broadened. The immobilized Pain in the pit regained his mobility and leaped out of the hole.
"I'll give you a chance to fight to the death. Shall we start with you or me?" Han Yu asked with a calm smile that captivated Tsunade's attention.
"Dammit, he's just a kid, but why does he exude such a unique aura?" Tsunade thought, stunned by Han Yu's unconventional fighting style. He appeared to wield immense power without employing any chakra; how was he doing it?
Pain intently focused on the man before him, quickly forming hand seals. Five clouds of smoke erupted around him, and the other five Paths of Pain materialized by his side.
"Oh? The Six Paths of Pain, intriguing," Han Yu remarked without the slightest hint of panic, his curiosity piqued as he scrutinized the six figures, much like a child discovering something new.
"Devouring Path." The voice of the Deva Path resounded, and the round-faced man by his side sprinted forward.
"The Devouring Path can absorb chakra and ninjutsu. No matter how powerful your chakra is, you cannot defeat him!" The Deva Path glared at the advancing Devouring Path with a chilling gaze, treating Han Yu as if he were already doomed.
But he had miscalculated. While the Devouring Path's ability to absorb chakra and ninjutsu was formidable, Han Yu was devoid of chakra altogether!
Han Yu's eyes flashed, and the surrounding temperature plummeted, coating everything in frost.
By the time Tsunade realized what was happening, Han Yu held a gleaming white katana in his hand. It seemed the sudden drop in temperature was due to the very presence of this blade.
"This is Hyōrinmaru, the strongest ice-type Zanpakutō. You should feel honored to perish by its blade."
As Han Yu grasped Hyōrinmaru, his relaxed demeanor vanished, replaced by an overwhelming aura of authority that was both physically and mentally oppressive.
Tsunade was captivated by this aura, unconsciously asking, "Who are you, really?"
Slowly raising Hyōrinmaru, Han Yu's lips curved into a smile as the frigid blade glinted, seemingly freezing the very air around them.
With a single stroke, a pale white aura sliced through the air, accompanied by Han Yu's light chuckle.
"Just a passing convenience store owner, that's all."
The charging Devouring Path attempted to absorb the aura of Hyōrinmaru's strike with its chakra-absorbing ability.
But this aura was not chakra; how could it be absorbed?
The aura pierced through the Devouring Path, instantly freezing its body from the inside out into an icy sculpture. With a gentle tap, it shattered into a shower of ice fragments.
Instant kill.
"How... so powerful!"
Tsunade, who had previously had considerable doubts about Han Yu's abilities, stood with her red lips wide open, unable to speak, staring blankly at Han Yu not far away.
The moment he grasped the hilt of his sword, those around him felt that Han Yu had become the dominant force in this realm.
Initially, they thought it was an illusion, but now, looking at it again, it seemed to be true.
"What, are you tired already? Is that all you've got?"
Holding the hilt of his sword, Han Yu swung it casually. Hyōrinmaru in his hand appeared to be just an ordinary long sword, but after witnessing the previous scene, who would believe it was merely a common katana?
"This guy is weird, not an ordinary human. We can't underestimate him. Let's attack together!"
The remaining five Pains exchanged glances and simultaneously lunged forward, each unleashing a dazzling array of ninja techniques. A single Shadow Clone Technique multiplied Han Yu's enemies from five to over twenty.
"Heh, is that all? Not even enough to fill a tooth gap!"
The sudden increase in the number of opponents did not faze Han Yu in the slightest. Instead, he chuckled and darted forward, wielding Hyōrinmaru, imbued with ultra-low temperatures, to slash at the Pains.
The pale white slashes carried wisps of chill, leaving a thick layer of ice wherever they passed.
Six of the Pains instantly turned into ice sculptures under Han Yu's swordplay, but this was followed by a sneer from one of them.
"I admit you're a formidable opponent, but your decision not to continue fighting with long-range slashes of your sword's aura is your biggest mistake!"
"Our Pains share a common field of vision. This one mistake won't give you a second chance!"
The Pain sneered, allowing Hyōrinmaru to cleave through his body, unsurprisingly splitting him in two. At that moment, a figure darted from behind Han Yu—it was the Asura Path Pain's true form!
"It's over! This is the consequence of your arrogance in facing us, the Six Paths of Pain, alone!"
The Asura Path Pain unleashed a punch with immense momentum, powerful enough to rival Tsunade's state after her outburst. Taking this punch directly would not be pleasant.
Amidst the attack, the Asura Path Pain seemed to notice a smile flicker across Han Yu's face as his fist crashed into him, only to find that he had vanished!
"How fast!"
"I've never seen anyone move that fast."
"I've seen the Fourth Hokage fight. His Body Flicker Technique was incredibly swift, but it seems...this young man surpasses him!"
Not only were the Pains astonished, but the other Konoha ninja watching the battle wore similar expressions of amazement. Such speed was something they had only witnessed in the Fourth Hokage.
"Hey, look over here!"
A lighthearted shout turned the Asura Path Pain's head, only to be met with a continuously enlarging fist that slammed into his face with a resounding thud.
As he was sent flying, his head produced ripples caused by the sonic boom.
Though the Asura Path Pain was a cyborg, his demise under this blow was still more dignified than that of the previous Preta Path Pain, reduced to nothing but a heap of mechanical fragments.
Another instant kill!
If the Deva Path Pain could express ordinary human emotions, he would have beads of sweat covering his forehead by now.
No ninja techniques were used, nor was chakra harnessed.
The Deva Path Pain was certain that although the person before him did not employ these two things, he possessed another peculiar energy, perhaps far surpassing chakra!
"It's your turn now!"
A chill flashed in Han Yu's eyes as he lunged forward. Before anyone could even blink, the blade of Hyōrinmaru was already pressed against the Deva Path Pain's neck.
With just a slight effort, he would turn into an ice sculpture, shattering into mist.
"Please wait! Whatever you need, we can give it to you, even double the amount!"
A hint of panic crept into the Deva Path Pain's voice as he recognized the vast disparity in their strength—no, it was more like a chasm!
Looking at Han Yu before him, who was smiling at him, the Deva Path Pain felt a rare sense of fear.
"This is not something we can handle!"
The thought flashed through the Deva Path Pain's mind. They had tormented Konoha, and now Han Yu was tormenting them. The Deva Path Pain couldn't fathom where Han Yu came from.
He had never heard of such a powerful young ninja in any village.
The stunned expressions on the faces of the Konoha ninja watching the battle had turned to disbelief. They couldn't fathom Han Yu's strength.
As the Fifth Hokage, Tsunade might not be the strongest in the village, but she was definitely among the top three. Yet, even she had been severely injured by the Six Paths of Pain.
The Six Paths of Pain, who had reduced Konoha to rubble with a single move, were now being brutally beaten and even instantly killed by a young man wielding a long sword!